Menendez optimistic on reconciliation negotiations

On a virtual press call today, Senator Bob Menendez expressed optimism that the U.S. Senate would pass major social and climate policy legislation via reconciliation this year, something which President Joe Biden and congressional Democratic leadership were unable to accomplish in 2021.

“I am encouraged by the progress being made in negotiations to advance a new reconciliation bill in the Senate, and I hope we can get there,” Menendez said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to deliver on behalf of the American people… As I return to Washington today, I look forward to working with my colleagues to achieve that goal.”

Budget reconciliation, a Senate procedure that allows bills to pass with a simple majority (instead of a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority), was successfully used last year to pass the American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill designed to address the effects of the Covid pandemic. 

But when Biden and Democratic leadership tried to pass the social spending-focused Build Back Better Act via reconciliation later in 2021, they were stymied by Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ). Now, with the 2022 midterm elections fast approaching, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and other Democrats are making a renewed pitch for an amended reconciliation bill that could pass muster with Manchin and Sinema.

Menendez also said on today’s call that he hopes Congress will pass legislation on gun control, abortion rights, and immigration reform, though he cautioned that some issues won’t be possible to address via reconciliation. During previous negotiations, the Senate Parliamentarian has issued rulings on what can and cannot be included in a reconciliation bill, and such rulings would need to be disregarded by a 50-vote majority in the Senate for the bill to proceed.

“I am not sure, in the case of Senator Manchin and Senator Sinema, that we would have the 50 votes to move aside the Parliamentarian’s ruling,” Menendez said.